A Chicago man was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with theft from a casino which is owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.
The FBI, along with Pokagon Tribal Police, arrested a 43-year-old man who is accused of brazenly posing as a tribal leader on the phone as part of a scheme to steal $700,000 from a Michigan casino.
According to the criminal complaint, a call came into the Hartford location of the Four Winds Casino last July from a person falsely claiming he was the tribal chairperson. The caller stated he desperately needed funds to make an urgent payment. The supervisory employee at the casino was duped by the caller’s claims and gathered $700,000 in cash and left the casino.
The supervisory employee brought the cash to a gas station in Gary, Indiana, under instructions from the caller and handed the cash over to the two unknown individuals waiting there for it.
After monthslong investigation by the FBI and Pokagon Tribal Police, the 43-year-old was identified as one of the individuals involved. A search of his home turned up a bundle of cash still wrapped in a paper band printed with the casino’s location and the exact date of the theft.
“Unfortunately, instances of telephone scams at casinos are on the rise across the country, impacting both tribal and commercial gaming operations,” said Mark Totten, the US Attorney for the West District of Michigan.
The 43-year-old will have to appear in federal court in Michigan to face the charge of theft from the Indian Tribal organization.
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Prevent This From Happening TO YOU!
Social engineering attacks exploits human error and emotions to manipulate their target using email, phone or in-person tactics to bypass security measures for their own personal gain.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shares four common signs of a scam that can help you avoid one:
- Scammers PRETEND to be from an organization you know.
- Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE.
- Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately.
- Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way.
It is important to learn how social engineering works, what types of attacks exist and how you can protect yourself and your organization from criminals
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